Double Dip Digest: Sex and the City

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How well does the illustrious HBO series hold up after six seasons, seven DVD sets and an all-new velveteen sheen?

By Todd Gilchrist

There's an inherent issue that arises when even the most avowed fans catch up with their favorite shows on DVD: namely, that their strengths - and in many cases weaknesses - become far more visible when episodes dovetail immediately into one another over the course of a two-or-three disc TV binge. The Simpsons Season Six set, for example, shows how comfortably the show fell into a rhythm creating one captivating and evocative story after another, while retaining the sharp comedic edge for which Matt Groening and co. are known; meanwhile, the Season One set for Lost reveals the continuity not only of the characters' behaviors, but the actors' performances - leaving one wondering how much longer Evangeline Lilly's wrinkled brow will survive on that deserted island without some lotion to save her forehead from permanent damage.

Sex and the City, HBO's groundbreaking, acclaimed show about a quartet of single women living in New York, suffers this same problem, and frequently to the detriment of some genuinely good writing. The show began back in 1998 - almost the dawn of HBO's now-absolute trouncing of network TV - and offered the world a more-or-less unprecedented (save for sex-crazed soap operas) glimpse at single white females in all of their unfettered, libidinous glory. By now, of course, Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda have become icons of the small screen, and earned a deserved place in the pantheon of TV's most memorable female protagonists; but poring back over six seasons of the show for the purposes of the just-release Sex and the City: The Complete Series boxed set, one can't help but notice the formulas that made these women fabulous are also the ones that may have felled less patient viewers (a/k/a men) from following the series as staunchly as its die-hard devotees.

In truth, the show possesses a fairly amazing episode-to-episode fluidity, juxtaposing four different stories and resolving all of them, if sometimes only temporarily, in the span of but a single 30-minute installment (most hourlong series can't achieve this). But the formula that makes this possible begins to feel familiar by the end of Season One: within the first eight to ten minutes, Carrie "has to wonder" about some literary rumination that plays a part in the events of the episode, only to reach a narrative crescendo that is resolved "right then and there," when one of the four realizes something that makes their dilemma all better. That's not to say that this conceit doesn't work for the most part, or that countless other shows haven't also employed similar framing devices to sustain their human stories; but this familiarity is one of the early feelings that emerge from watching six seasons of the show, plus countless extras, bonus materials and addenda that make The Complete Series set a comprehensive experience indeed.

Much like the recent release of Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection, which assembles a glut of previously available material in deluxe packaging and adds a handful of extras for good measure, this Sex and the City set is, in its way, the mother of all Double Dips - the 20-disc collection boasts new art, one extra disc of new materials, and some spectacular packaging. Specifically, The Complete Series includes the following features:

Location, Location, Location! - a chronicle of the real-life locations used on the show by the cast and crew

Fun & Games

Lights, Camera, Relationship - "meet the man of your dreams or your next dating casualty in this entertaining 'single' player game that matches you up with the men of Sex and the City"

You Can Quote Me on It - a 'finish that phrase' game that tests viewer knowledge of the series' most famous quotes

Naughty or Nice? - the ultimate test to see which SATC character you are most like

"All That Glitters&#Array;"

En-SEX-lopedia - a comprehensive guide to SATC that looks back on the defining moments in dating, fashion, friendship and relationships

SEX Extras - a collection of set photos, behind-the-scenes pictures and ad campaigns, complete with a gallery of fashion and designer credits

The Guest List - a look at the famous men and women who appeared on the show alongside the cast

Secrets of the Universe - a compilation of questions Carrie asked in her column

The entire set comes packaged in a velvet-lined book and arranges the discs on each page in paper sleeves in proper season order.

Needless to say, this set is a must-own for any fan of Sex and the City. But the question must be raised: wouldn't fans of SATC already have everything in this set except for that bonus disc? I doubt enough dough could be raised from selling the individual sets to purchase this enormous book, which retails for the MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) of 299.95.

While I'd hardly suggest that this deluxe edition of the show is a slap in the face by the folks at HBO - the packaging alone makes it worthy of placement on the shelves of your bookcase of coffee table - the new content is scarcely worth the time it takes to watch it, and won't likely sustain repeat viewings, even from those who can't get enough of Carrie and co. But an alternative release of just that extra disc might at least offer collectors an opportunity - especially if they've already invested in the season-specific sets - to have all things Sex and the City without feeling as if they've been roughed up at the end of a long relationship.

Overall, this disc is mostly worth buying as a gift for someone else, but not necessarily for yourself, particularly if you have all or even some of the previous sets released by HBO.Sex in the City is an often frustrating, difficult-to-watch show - due more to its accuracy and insight than any technical or creative shortcomings - but this set is and should be the definitive chronicle of the adventures of these four fabulous females. Because as I was watching episodes last night in preparation for this review, I laughed, I cringed and even almost cried; but more than that, I realized, right then and there, that getting this set for my girlfriend not only would engender some serious karma points for our relationship, but add a few extra bucks for my pocket when I sell the old series sets that once occupied space on our DVD shelves.